Crane



' (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. PORTER.

CRANE.

No. 427,260. v Patented May 6,1890.

(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet S. PORTER.

No. 427,260. Patented May 6, 1890.

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WITNESSES INVENTORY 0am MMJL n12 "cams nnzs cm, mow-mum, wnsnmuwu, n. c.

, SSheets-Sheet 3. i S. PORTER.

CRANE.

(No Model.)

No. 427,260. Patented May 6, 1890.

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Att'yspits.

UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL FORTER, OF LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,260, dated May 6,1890.

Application filed March 8, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL FORTER, of Latrobe, in the county ofWestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Cranes, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my improved crane. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig.3 is a vertical section on the line III III of Fig. 1. Fig. lis a sideelevation of a modified form. Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontalcross-section on the line V V of Fig. 1.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each.

The object of my invention is to provide a crane designed especially foruse in mills and furnace-plants for lifting and transporting heavyburdens from one place to another for example, for lifting ladlescontaining molten steel for the purpose of transferring the steel fromthe converters to the casting- The burden lifted by such cranes is verygreat, and it is desirable that the cranes should be very strong and yetas light as possible consistently with the requisite strength, and thatthe power necessary in operating the cranes should be as small aspossible.

IVith such end in view I have made my present invention,which I shallnow proceed to describe, so that others may apply the same to practicaluse.

The mast of the crane is rotary, and is stepped in a suitable socket orseat 2 at its base. Above the foot of the mast it is provided with across-piece or head 3, connected by means of vertical rods 41 to the endof a hydraulic cylinder 5, the plunger 6 of which is provided at itslower end with a cross-head 7, which moves in contact with and is guidedby the uprights 4, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The mast of thecrane extends above the cylinder 5 to a suit. ble distance, and at thetop is journaled in a suitable top support of ordinary construction.Above 'the cylinder 5 the mast may conveniently be made of a section orsections of pipe. These pipe-sections, the cylinder 5, the'uprights 4,the cross piece 3 at the base of the uprights, and the Serial No.302,460. (No model.)

foot, which is journaled in the step 2, together constitute the mast.

The jib of the crane consists of a strong frame 8, the preferableconstruction of which I have clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, inwhich it is shown composed of two parallel side pieces, each formed of apair of flanged beams connected at the middle and at the ends by plates9 and suitably braced. The side pieces constituted by these pairs ofbeams are connected by bolts 11, 12, and 13, which serve not only toconnect and strengthen the parts of the jib, but also serve as pivotalconnections, as hereinafter explained. At its rear end the jib isforked, so as to fit on each side of the mast and to clear the latter inits vertical motions. For this purpose the jib is provided with a forkedseparating-block 30, interposed between the side pieces and bolted orriveted thereto. (See Fig. 5.) The con necting-rods 17, hereinafterdescribed, are

pieces by bolts 11. The jib is pivotally supported 'by means of a brace14 (consisting of two parallel bars) leading from the foot of the mast,to which it is pivot-ally connected by a bolt 15, and connected also tothe bolt 12 on the jib. A brace 16, consisting also of two rods, extendsfrom the bolt 12 to the upper portion of the mast. 'The rear end of thejib is connected with the cross-head 7 of the plunger 6 byconnecting-rods 17, which are pivotally arranged on the cross-bolt 11.

with-suitable hooks 21 or with other fastening devices for holding theburden, the con-' struction of which will depend on the nature and shapeof the latter. I have shown the crane designed for moving a ladle of thesort The outer end of the crane is provided pivotally joined to the endsof these side.

and they are provided at their lower ends Y commonly used insteel-plants, and for this purpose I use the hooks 21, which engagetrunnions or projections 22 at the sides of the ladle.

Then the crane is thus constructed, the jib 8 is in effect a swingingbeam pivoted at an intermediate point 12, on which it may be rockedvertically, so as to cause the outer end 13 to describe the areindicated by the dotted lines Z) c, and in this way to lift or to lowerthe ladle or other burden, as will be readily understood. The beam isthus moved by operation of the plunger of the hydraulic cylinder, thevertical motions of which are transmitted to the beam by theconnecting-rods 17. The motions of the different parts of the cranewhich result from actuation of this plunger are clearly indicated bydotted lines in the drawings. The horizontal motions of the jib intransporting the burden from one place to another are effected byrotation of the mast, which may be done by hand or by a suitablepower-engine acting on the mast in the ordinary manner.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings that the brace14, which extends from the foot of the mast to the pivotal point 12 ofthe jib, is connected with the mast in such manner that the center lineof the brace intersects the center line of the mast in the middle of itsbearing in the step 2, and that the center line of the brace 16,extending; from the upper portion of the mastto the pivot 12 in likemanner intersects the center line of the mast in the middle portion ofits bearing in the top support. The consequence of this construction isthat strain on the mast tending to bind it is avoided. So far as I knowthe braces of all other cranes have hitl1- erto been connected to themast at points intermediate between the top and bottom bearings, andtherefore require the mast to be made of very heavy beams or castings,in order to withstand the great bending moment to which they aresubjected. By extending the braces or struts from the top and bottom ofthe mast I am enabled to construct the mast of light material.

The water-connections leading to the cylinder 5 may be arranged in anyconvenient manner. I have, however, shown a very suitable arrangement inFig. 1 of the drawings. The lower portion of the mast is made hollow andis provided with a series of perforations f, which communicate with anannular chamher 9 in the socket 2. The water-supply pipe is connected at10 with the chamber 2, and a pipe 7) leads from the hollow bore of themaststep to the hydraulic cylinder 5. k are suitable packing-ringsplaced in the socket of the mast to prevent leakage of water. i

In Fig. 4E Ishow the crane provided with de vices by which the burdenmay be racked or moved horizontally for the purpose of shift ing it fromone place to another in the manner usual in the use of cranes insteel-plants I show this construction in a separate figure of thedrawings, in order that the other figures may not be obscured bymultiplicity of parts. On the strut 14 is a frame or support 24,containing a hydraulic cylinder 25, the plunger 26 of which is connectedby rods 27 and 28 to the suspending-rods 18 at the outer end of the jib.These rods are divided at their pivotal connections with the rods 28, sothat the lower portion 18 thereof may swing freely on said pivotalconnections and may hang 1n a vertical position independently of theposition of the upper portions 18. The rods 27 and 28 are at theirpivotal connections connected by rods 29 to the pivot 12 of the ib.

The operation of this portion of my improvement is as follows: Then itis desired to move the hooks 21 at the lower ends of the rods 18'horizontally from one position to another. this is effected by actuatingthe plunger of the hydraulic motor 25. The motion of this plunger in onedirection will draw upon the rods 27 and 28 and will turn the rods 18 ontheir pivotal connections at the end of the jib, and will thereby movethe rods 18', which, being loosely pivoted at their upper ends, willremain in a vertical position, so that the burden of the crane is notdisturbed or made liable to be upset. In these motions, which areeffected by the hydraulic cylinder, the rods 29 and 18 remain paralleland thus strengthen and direct the several parts. By dotted lines inFig. i I show the arcs of motion of the several parts of the crane. Themotion of the piston of the hydraulic motor in the opposite directionwill effect a reverse motion of the parts, as will be readilyunderstood, and by means of this mechanisn and by the vertical motionsof the jib I am enabled to use the crane in shifting its burdens fromplace to place with as great facility and with the use of less power ascompared with cranes of the kind heretofore commonly used.

My improved apparatus may be Varied greatlyin form and proportions ofthe several parts without involving a departure from the principles ofmy invention, as stated in the broad claims of this patent. Suchmodifica tions will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art afteran examination of my apparatus, as described in the foregoingspecification.

The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by those skilled inthe" art. The crane is compact in its structure, may be made very strongwithout requiring an excessive weight of metal, and in the work oflifting and transporting heavy burdens it re quires much less motivepower per pound of burden than any other crane known to me.

I claim- 1. In a powei craile, the combination of a rotary mast, ajib-support projecting therefrom, a jib pivoted intermediate its ends onthe jib-support, and a cylinder mounted on the rotary mast and connectedwith the jib at a TIO point back of its support and adjacent to themast, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a power-crane, the combination of a rotary mast, a jib pivoted atan intermediate point, a power cylinder and piston mounted on the rotarymast, said piston connected with the jib, and braces connecting thejib-pivot with the mast, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

3. In a powercrane, the combination, with a rotary mast, of ajib-support, a jib pivoted on the j ib-support and adapted to straddlethe mast at its inner end, and a power-cylinder and piston mounted onthe rotary mast, said piston connected with the jib on opposite sides ofthe mast, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a power-crane, the combination, with a rotary mast, of a cylinderand piston arranged centrally therein, a jib-support which projects fromthe rotary mast, a jib pivoted intermediate its ends 011 the jib-supportand spanning the mast at its inner end, and a link or links connectingthe cylinder-piston with the inner end of the jib Where it spans themast, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. A crane having a jib, a suspended support on the jib, and a rackingcylinder by which the suspended support is oscillated,

substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. A crane having a jib, a jointed supporting rod or frame suspendedtherefrom, and a racking cylinder by Which said rod or frame isoperated, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. A crane having a pivoted jib, a supporting rod or frame suspendedfrom the jib, a racking cylinder, a rod connecting the plunger of theracking cylinder with the supporting" rod or frame, and rods extendingto the pivot of the jib, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

8. A crane having a pivoted jib, a support ing rod or frame suspendedfrom the jib, a racking cylinder, a rod connecting the plunger of theracking cylinder With the supporting rod or frame, rods extending to thepivot of the jib, and a strut connecting the mast with the pivots of thejib, said racking cylinder being mounted on the strut, substantially asand for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day ofFebruary, A. D. 1889.

SAMUEL FORTER.

Vitncsses:

W. B. CoRWIN, '1. W. BAKEWELL.

